Transient changes in fisheries quality and mine-pool discharges, Monongahela River Basin, 1975- 2010

The Monongahela River Basin in Pennsylvania and West Virginia has historically been mined for coal for the past 150 years.  Prior to the Clean Water Act of 1972, the water quality and fisheries were significant impaired due to acid mine drainage discharges.  Basically, the Monongahela River was described as 'red and dead' due to its water coloration and poor aquatic life community.  The river has made a tremendous recover and now supports at least 61 species of fish.  However, due to ecomonic issues the pumping and treating the mine water in these historic and abandoned mines has stopped.  What is described as the 'Monongahela River Basin Mine Pool' has filled and the Basin has experienced several 'breakouts' which have wiped out or impaired the fish communities of a few tributaries.  The issue is that unless these breakouts are controlled, the water quality of the mainstem of the Monongahela River may be impaired to the extent that the fisheries community may be threatened.  West Virginia University researchers have researched the water quality and potential breakout locations of the mine pool.  The state and federal agencies have implemented fisheries assessments in 2003 and 2009/2010 to document the recovery and what could be lost.